Your child’s surroundings will affect his or her behavior.

Make sure that your child’s environment encourages good behavior. Be aware of the reason for your toddler’s mood changes, and do your best to help them act properly. For instance, if you’re taking your child to the supermarket, after he or she has been in day care all day, and are expecting them to sit still the whole time you’re grocery shopping, you may have a problem on your hands. Your child is probably ready to be in a more familiar setting (like home) and may be hungry and restless. If you’re running errands with your toddler during the day, try to take your trips in increments. It doesn’t take much for your little one to become bored or cranky, so keep this in mind when you’re planning daily activities with your child.

Give your toddler positive reinforcement.

Pulling your child away from a play group when he or she is misbehaving, or disciplining your toddler when they’re in the middle of a temper tantrum shouldn’t be the only time you’re face to face with your little one. Be sure to tell your toddler how much your value him or her by praising all of the great things they can do at this age. If your toddler is learning to feed herself, be sure to give lots of hugs and kisses when the messes at dinner are significantly minimized. If your son is being potty trained, a sticker each time he uses the bathroom will let him know how proud you are. Letting your toddler know what you think about their character traits will also help profoundly with their self-development.

Again, even though toddlers can’t exactly express their sense of self-awareness, when you tell them the good things about themselves, they are better equipped to act out what you say than to repeat your statements back to you. Telling your partner things like “You’re such a smart boy/girl” or “I love the way you always clean up your toys.” Even with toddlers, compliments go a very long way.